Changes

==Rejection==

==Rejection==

The king's response to Bunker Hill was to issue the [[Proclamation of Rebellion]], declaring the colonists to be rebels, closing the American ports, and warning foreign nations not to trade.  The ''Olive Branch'' was an attempt to appeal directly to [[King George III]] with the hope for reconciliation between the colonies and Great Britain.<ref>[http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/congress-adopts-olive-branch-petition Congress adopts Olive Branch Petition]</ref>  Three days after their arrival in Britain, Penn and his companion, diplomat Arthur Lee,<ref>[http://archives.nypl.org/mss/22996 Richard Penn and Arthur Lee letters regarding the Olive Branch Petition]</ref> were informed by letter that no answer would be given to it.

The king's response to Bunker Hill was to issue the [[Proclamation of Rebellion]], declaring the colonists to be rebels, closing the American ports, and warning foreign nations not to trade.  The ''Olive Branch'' was an attempt to appeal directly to [[King George III]] with the hope for reconciliation between the colonies and Great Britain.<ref>[http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/congress-adopts-olive-branch-petition Congress adopts Olive Branch Petition]</ref>  Three days after their arrival in Britain, Penn and his companion, diplomat Arthur Lee,<ref>[http://archives.nypl.org/mss/22996 Richard Penn and Arthur Lee letters regarding the Olive Branch Petition]</ref> reported: "we were told that as his Majesty did not receive it on the throne, no answer would be given".<ref>[https://www.nypl.org/blog/2015/06/30/olive-branch-petition The Olive Branch and the Declaration of Independence]</ref>

This contemptuous rejection of the humble petition of Congress went upon the ground that the body petitioning had no legal existence. The Americans from the time of that rejection of their last humble effort at pacification held that to British councils, and not to American, all the bloodshed and guilt of the war were to be ascribed. In an examination of Mr. Penn before the House of Lords, he averred that the general feeling in America was not for independence, but simply "for the defence of their liberties." Mr. Penn's opinions on this subject have been confirmed by those held by Washington, Madison, Franklin, and Jefferson, before the commencement of hostilities. A motion that the petition of Congress afforded grounds for conciliation was rejected by an overwhelming majority.<ref name=knight />

This contemptuous rejection of the humble petition of Congress went upon the ground that the body petitioning had no legal existence. The Americans from the time of that rejection of their last humble effort at pacification held that to British councils, and not to American, all the bloodshed and guilt of the war were to be ascribed. In an examination of Mr. Penn before the House of Lords, he averred that the general feeling in America was not for independence, but simply "for the defence of their liberties." Mr. Penn's opinions on this subject have been confirmed by those held by Washington, Madison, Franklin, and Jefferson, before the commencement of hostilities. A motion that the petition of Congress afforded grounds for conciliation was rejected by an overwhelming majority.<ref name=knight />